Boland Cellar Glitters at Mundus Vini Wine Awards

Boland Cellar, one of the stalwarts in the Cape Winelands of South Africa, was recently declared a top achiever at the 20th Grand International Wine Award MUNDUS Vini in Germany with an exceptional performance by its maiden release 2016 One Formation Chenin Blanc/Sauvignon Blanc/Viognier blend taking gold!

Two of the cellar’s Flutterby wines, the 2015 Merlot and the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc, with its strikingly beautiful packaging, also received gold medals at this prestigious bi-annual global competition.

Almost 200 international wine connoisseurs judged more than 6200 wines at the Germany-based event’s spring tasting. To date, this was the most wines to be curated at the bi-annual competition.

One Formation achievement:Head of Boland Cellar’s marketing and sales, Maraleze Knoetze, beamed with delight and pride when the Mundus Vini gold medal news for the One Formation wine was released. She elaborates: “When we released this new brand in 2016, coinciding with Boland’s 75th anniversary, it was a highlight in celebrating the ‘pioneers of collaboration’ spirit that has been the cornerstone of our cellar’s proud legacy since 1941.

After a trial period of two years, the One Formation blends commend the best that our area has become known for. The Paarl wine region is particularly renowned for varietals like Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, and they are the cornerstones of our One Formation blends. However, we were inspired to experiment with lesser-known varietals resulting in unique Cape regional blends. Consequently, the white wine is a Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier blend while the red blend – also an exceptional wine – evolved in a Pinotage, Shiraz and Grenache blend.”

She added: “One Formation represents a new wine promise from our cellar and our dedicated winemakers. The same way that different varietals were brought together to form one blend, different winemakers worked together and collaborated to create this range that has already gained various top wine awards.”

One Formation tasting notes:
The One Formation White is a classic blend and was co-fermented from the three varietals, before 15% of this blend was then fermented in French oak barrels. An elegant wine with layers of peach, lime and litchi fruit, and through ‘sur lie’ ageing, finishes in a layered, mineral style

Flutterby achievements:“We are also especially pleased about the Flutterby wines’ wins where the two wines, which make up the Flutterby range were rated against some of the world’s best offerings”, says Knoetze. “The wines have always been popular with younger consumers, but have become popular with a broad range of consumers since it has been re-packed in ultra-lightweight glass. The Sauvignon Blanc, which was listed in South Africa’s 2012 Best Value Guide, and has gained traction in various markets.”

Flutterby tasting notes:
The grapes for the Flutterby Sauvignon Blanc were sourced from two different climatic regions in the Paardeberg, in Paarl, and Philadelphia. After fermentation, the wine was left on the lees for another three months to result in a full, creamy and lingering aftertaste. The wine delivers a good, ripe fruit expression with a smooth, crisp finish, perfect for green summer salads and butter-based fish.

Grapes for the Merlot, an ideal wine to partner with red meat favourites like stews, bredies and pork belly, are from the Cape Coastal region. To extract its pure Merlot flavours, a cold and slow fermentation was followed. This resulted in the wine’s wild forest fruit, dark plum and ripe prune flavours.

Guided by their Pioneers of Collaboration philosophy, the Boland Cellar team continues to strive towards true excellence by working together, and combining the winemaking skills and expertise from across the Boland region in the Cape Winelands.